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'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' adds Lin-Manuel Miranda as Greek god in Disney+ series
He is not throwing away his shot...to play a Greek god.
Lin-Manuel Miranda is not throwing away his shot...to play a Greek deity. Disney+ announced Monday that the acclaimed creator behind In the Heights and Hamilton has boarded Percy Jackson and the Olympians in the role of the wing-footed and caduceus-carrying Hermes, god of the road. Miranda — no stranger to the Mouse House, having written original tracks for award-winning animated films like Moana and Encanto — joins an already stacked cast that includes: Glynn Turman (Chiron, a centaur and Camp Half-Blood trainer), Jason Mantzoukas (Dionysus, director of Camp Half-Blood), and Megan Mullally (Alecto, Percy's teacher and a secret Fury).
Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan also confirmed the news on his blog, heading off fans who will be quick to point out that Hermes does not appear until the second book in the original saga. "But remember when I told you we are adding new glimpses of backstory, Easter eggs, and other nuances to enhance the narrative while remaining true to the original storyline?" he wrote. "This is a prime example. When you see the episode in question, it will make sense why we introduced Hermes early."
Riordan went on to reveal that he always had Miranda in mind while writing the scripts, but never thought he'd be able to book the incredibly busy writer/singer/actor/filmmaker/lyricist. "With our showrunners’ encouragement, I sent him a note saying, 'Hey, you ever felt like being a god for a couple of days?' To my delight, he was excited to join the Percy Jackson family. His son even provided him with some background reading on Hermes to prep him for the part."
Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri headline the project as Percy Jackson (son of Poseidon), Annabeth Chase (daughter of Athena), and Grover Underwood (a loyal satyr). When Zeus's prized thunderbolt is stolen from Mount Olympus, the young heroes set off on a cross-country road trip that brings them face-to-face with Medusa; the lotus-eaters; and the dreaded lord of the Underworld, Hades.
Virginia Kull (Percy's mother, Sally Jackson), Timm Sharp (Percy's stepfather, Gabe Ugliano), Adam Copeland (Ares, god of war), Jessica Parker Kennedy (Medusa), Suzanne Cryer (Echidna, Mother of Monsters), Dior Goodjohn (daughter of Ares, Clarisse La Rue), Olivea Morton (Percy's classmate, Nancy Bobofit), and Charlie Bushnell (leading member of the Hermes cabin, Luke Castellan) are also confirmed to star.
Disney+ has yet to announce a premiere date for the series, though it will most likely debut sometime next year. Production is now underway in Vancouver.
If you're looking for more fantasy in the meantime, check out the best fantasy movies on Peacock.
